PFF announces squad for AFC’s Women’s Olympic Qualifiers

The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) has announced the women’s squad that will travel to Tajikistan for the AFC Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

Maria Khan will lead the national team while defender Malika Noor has been appointed as her deputy.

The 22-member national team and coaching staff will leave Dubai for Tajikistan on April 2, where the squad will hold a short training camp and play matches against local clubs.

The Pakistan Women’s team, placed in Group E, will begin their campaign against the Philippines on April 5. Their remaining matches will be against Hong Kong and hosts Tajikistan on April 8 and 11 respectively.

Twenty-six teams have been divided into seven groups for the first round of qualifying.

It should be noted that the winners of each group in this round will advance to the second round, where they will be joined by the five highest seeded teams – DPR Korea, Japan, Australia, China PR and Republic of Korea.

The four teams from the second round — the three group winners and the best-placed runner-up — then face off in the third round, where they play two pairs of home and away matches, with the two eventual winners advancing to the women’s Olympic football tournament in Paris. Will qualify. In 2024

Pakistan squad

Forwards: Alia Sadiq, Anmol Hira, Isra Khan, Naqiya Ali, Sanobar Abdul Sattar and Zahmeena Malik.

Midfielders: Aliza Saber, Amina Hanif, Anush Usman, Maria Khan, Marvi Baig, Ramin Farid and Soha Hirani.

Defenders: Malika Noor, Mashal Bhatti, Nazalia Siddiqui, Sahiba Sherdal, Sara Khan and Sofia Qureshi.

Goalkeepers: Fatima Naz, Nisha Ashraf and Romesa Khan.